It's A Small (Voice Over) World After All

Happy business team Voice acting was once a relatively minuscule world that involved about the equivalent of a small village full of people, and after a few decades, it's still a small world yet voice over is even more intimately connected!

How many degrees of separation are there between you and your voice over colleagues?

6 Degrees of Separation

You may have heard that there are 6 degrees of separation between you and any other person on the planet. For instance, there could be 6 degrees (or relationship connections with other people) that separate you from a childhood hero, the person at the top of your game or royalty.

In voice over, we've found that the distance between voice actors in people in the biz is quite a bit shorter, perhaps 1 to 3 degrees between any two people.

This goes back to why it is so important to have be involved in the voice over community and build connections by participating through blogs, podcasts, forums, online social networks and going to live events.

Everyone you know knows someone else that you may wish to be acquainted with or can direct you to someone who can get you there.

Thanksgiving Dinner = 1 Degree of Separation

Last week, New York voice actor Harry Scott was having Thanksgiving dinner in the company of some relatives and extended family. Little did he know that he'd become 1 degree away from a fellow voice actor, Ed Victor, who hails from the state of Florida, through a guest he chatted with at his aunt and uncle's house.

Harry wrote:

I just found out on Thanksgiving, while at my aunt and uncle's house, that (follow this here, if you can... haha), my aunt's brother-in-law's wife (Belinda), is Ed Victor's niece. Belinda was floored when she heard that I was a voice talent, and started talking about her Uncle Ed who is in the business. I tell ya, small world.

Just How Small of a World is VO? Ever Experienced Something Similar?

Comments

Stephanie,

This has happened to me more times that I can count! However, one really stands out for me. I was at the doctor for an exam when something was mentioned about me being a voice actor. The nurse in the room yells out, "No way- I'm good friends with a voice actor, do you know Bob Bair?" Of course I know Bob, and now Bob's friend knows a lot more about me than Bob ever will! Oh yes, it's a small world afterall...

(Funny, I don't think I ever told Bob that story- I guess he knows now!)

Thankfully, the rest of my 'small world' moments haven't been quite so embarrassing.

Kara

Posted by: Kara Edwards
December 2, 2008 1:10 PM

Sitting in my dentist's office for a cleaning, I mentioned to the hygienist that I had taken the VFA Master class and was learning the voiceover business. She said that another patient had been doing that for a while, and put me in touch with Lori Taylor, an accomplished and talented VO artist. Lori has taken me under her wing and is mentoring me. In fact, she's helping me put another demo together with emphasis on medical narration, a niche I want to pursue. No such thing as "coincidence", I say!

Posted by: Carol Nicholson
December 3, 2008 12:10 PM

I never cease to be amazed at how close and friendly the voiceover world is. The blog software I use (Word press) includes a feature that allows me to note whether I've personally met someone to whom I've linked. I really enjoy it every time I get to come home from a trip and click another person I've now met. For example, I got to do that with my link to Vox Daily after VOICE 2007 in Las Vegas almost 2 years ago because that's when and where I met you for the first time.

Be well,
Bob